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Shopping was usually not Lana’s thing. She would normally have rather poked herself in the eye with a sharp knife and twisted it; however, this served an entirely different purpose. She had plans. Wicked, decadent, and oh so sizzling ones... If she was going to take this huge leap with Sullivan, she might as well go straight to the deep end and savor it.
Besides, she did need some new clothes, and he would probably buy them for her if she didn’t do it for herself. This was his way of giving her the appearance of a choice. Either she shopped or he would—rather, his assistant would. This way she could pick out what she wanted and limit the amount of money being spent. As soon as she was able, she planned on paying back every dime she used on his credit card. If her own hadn’t burned up in the fire, she wouldn’t have bothered with his. As wonderful as walking around his apartment naked all day sounded, it was not exactly practical.
“Where else do you want to go?” Jessica asked.
“I have most of what I need,” Lana said. The everyday things anyway—she bought a few interchangeable outfits, two simple dresses, and some new work scrubs. “I need some shoes and lingerie.” Sully hadn’t thought of everything. All she had to wear out of the house was her slippers. She would have to make sure to point that out to him when she saw him later.
“Lingerie?” Jessica lifted a brow. “Have special plans?”
“Ha ha,” Lana replied sarcastically. “Not that I’m adverse to a sexy negligee, but I also need some panties and a bra or two.” Jessica didn’t need to know everything Lana had planned. That was for her, and well—Sully to find out later tonight.
“Easy now,” Jessica said, then laughed. “Can’t take a bit of ribbing, can you? Although, if you want my opinion, I think you should go for it. By the looks of things, it seemed as if I interrupted some sexy time this morning.”
Lana almost grumbled at that. She would not admit how close she had been to stripping and having her way with Sullivan. It still bothered her that he was keeping her at arm’s length. He said he wanted to be with her and had been a little too eager to go slow. Something didn’t add up in her estimation. If he was so enamored with her, why didn’t he seem eager to explore the more intimate side of a possible relationship between them? Did he not really desire her? “You didn’t do any such thing,” Lana lied. “Sully and I were having a bit of a disagreement. He thinks he is the boss of me, and I had to set him straight.”
“Sounds about right,” Jessica said. “That’s part of your foreplay. Won’t be long until you can’t stop the inevitable.”
Lana didn’t even bother to reply to that one. “Let’s go into this store.” They headed into the shoe store Lana had gestured toward. She found her usual work shoes in her size, a pair of strappy sandals, and a sexy pair of heels with three-inch spikes. She was short, and Sullivan towered over her. This would give her a little extra height to play her game later that night. Now she needed a nice negligee to go along with them.
“Interesting choices,” Jessica said. “And complete opposites...”
“Never know when you’re going to need a good pair of black heels,” Lana replied flippantly. “The other two pairs are more for everyday wear.”
Jessica shook her head, a look of bewilderment on her face. “I don’t even want to know what your reasoning is, but I’m willing to bet your using those spiked heels for something in particular. If you feel like sharing, I have a willing ear to listen.”
“I like to keep some things a tad more private then that,” Lana said. “So, I’m not confirming or denying that.”
They purchased the shoes and left the store. Lana turned in the direction of the lingerie store. She halted before they reached it because she caught the sight of the one person she didn’t want to talk to. All right, there were probably a lot of people she didn’t want to see, but after the other day, she particularly didn’t want to have any interactions with Tony.
“Lana,” he called out.
Damn it, he had spotted her. “Oh, hey,” Lana said hesitantly. “Two times in one week, what are the chances?” Someone must really hate her. She couldn’t help thinking her run of bad luck had to end at some point. Then something like this would happen. Though, at least, this wasn’t as bad as a fire or car accident.
“It’s good to see you again. I meant to ask you for your number the other day so we could maybe have lunch sometime.”
“Oh...um...”
“Lana’s phone was damaged in the car accident, and she hasn’t replaced it yet. Maybe give her your number and when she has a new one she’ll contact you,” Jessica offered. Lana wanted to kiss her. She still had to activate the phone Sully had given her, but Jessica was well aware that she had a new one already.
“Right,” Lana said. “I keep forgetting that.”
Tony nodded. “Not a problem. Do you have anything to write with or something for me to jot it down on?”
“Sorry, no,” Lana replied. “I don’t even have a purse. There was a fire at my house, and I lost everything. I’m here getting some things to get by until the insurance is settled.”
She’d never been so thankful for that damn fire. Tony wasn’t a bad guy, but some things were better left in the past. Their relationship was one of them. They didn’t work then, and they sure as hell were not going to work now. Not when she had Sullivan in her life. He’d always been the one she’d wanted, and now she had a real chance with him.
“I’m so sorry to hear that,” Tony said earnestly. “But I’m glad you’re all right. Things can be replaced, but if the world lost you that would be a tragedy.”
“That it would be,” Jessica said. “If you’ll excuse us, we have a few more things to do. You know—shopping, dress fittings, doctor appointments. I’m sure you understand.”
Lana wasn’t herself or she’d have found a way to excuse herself from the conversation already. Doctor appointments? Dress fittings? What the hell was Jessica talking about? Had she missed something? “Yes, Jessica is right. I have a tight schedule, and a lot to accomplish before I can finally get some much needed rest.”
“Dress fittings?” Tony said. “Is that for the wedding?”
That was what Jessica had meant. Crap, she did still have to go the bridal shop for one last fitting on her dress. She’d have to call them and make an appointment. The wedding was in a week. “Oh, yes,” Lana said. “It’s going to be an exciting day. It really was good seeing you. We’ll talk again soon, right?”
Tony’s face darkened a little bit, but whatever bothered him cleared away as fast as it had appeared. He became the lighthearted guy she’d always known him to be. He nodded at her and said earnestly, “Of course.”
Lana walked away from him as fast as possible in a manner that didn’t seem as if she was actually trying to escape his presence. She yanked Jessica into the lingerie shop, but she had lost all ambition to shop and grabbed the first few pairs of panties and matching bras she found in the right size. As an afterthought, she grabbed a black lacy negligee that looked sexy enough. She really had wanted to try things on... No helping that now. All she wanted to do was pay for her items and go back to the apartment. Tony had ruined her fun by acting so weird. She couldn’t be sure what his deal was; however, she did know she hadn’t liked it at all.
“You can be rather quick on your feet.” Lana headed toward the cashier. “Where did all that come from? Fittings? Appointments?”
“Claire pointed out you hadn’t gone in for your final fitting when I saw her the other day. You might want to take care of that,” Jessica said with a shrug. “And Preston mentioned that you would need a new supply of medications when I called him a little bit ago. He arranged to have them delivered to the apartment from the hospital pharmacy. He’s worried you won’t be able to function without them. I forgot to bring it up earlier. Do you want me to take you for your check up in a few days?”
“You know far more about my health than I do,” Lana said and blew out a breath. “I suppose that’s fair considering your own health scare and my bullying you to the doctor not too long ago. Thank Preston for me, will you?” Lana frowned. “It slipped my mind that my pain meds would’ve burned in the fire too. I don’t know what I was thinking...I’ve been running on adrenaline or something.”
“That you’ve had more than one scare in the past month? I’ll always be here for you.” Jessica hugged her and stepped back. “Now, are you sure you don’t want to finish shopping?” She lifted a brow. “Sullivan can certainly afford it.”
Jessica did have a point and he’d offered. She would need a lot more than she’d already bought. There was no telling how long it would take for the insurance to clear, and she had no access to any of her legal paperwork to withdraw money from her bank account. She literally had to replace everything in her house. Why not do a little more shopping before she returned to the apartment. Her mood lifted now that she was no longer near Tony’s creepiness. “You shop more than I do. Why don’t you take me to a few of your favorite places?”
“Oh, good,” Jessica said rubbing her hands together. “I have expensive taste too. Let’s rack up one hell of a bill for Sullivan.”
With those words, Jessica looped her arm through Lana’s and led her on a shopping expedition she never would have imagined...
***
SULLIVAN WALKED INTO the apartment, half expecting Lana to be there waiting for him in his bed—naked. Perhaps that was more wishful thinking on his part then something that might actually happen. A guy could hope, couldn’t he? After a morning of almost-pleasure, he’d been rather keyed up, and his dick showed no sign of giving in. He wanted to strip Lana bare and have her ride him until they were both exhausted. The images would not leave his head no matter how hard he tried to push them out. That was the problem though, wasn’t it? He was harder than he’d ever been in his life, and he wanted to push himself between Lana’s thighs. God help him...
He shoved his hands through his hair and then plopped onto the sofa. It was still a mess from him using it as a bed the night before. The small decorative pillows sat on the floor where he’d tossed them, the cushions were askew, and the blanked remained a rumpled mess at the end. Finding the energy to straighten it eluded him. He’d much rather leave it as it was and then maybe snuggle or something a little more debauched with Lana later.
The doorbell chimed. Sullivan sighed. The interior decorating firm he contacted about redoing his office had called to set up a meeting. He had no desire to go back to his office, so he’d suggested they come to the apartment for the meeting. He really didn’t care what they did to the office as long as it didn’t resemble the current décor. He stood and walked to the door, then pulled it open. Immediately, he was taken aback by who greeted him on the other side. He should have looked through the peephole.
“Victoria,” he replied hesitantly. “What are you doing here?”
She beamed at him as if she was a canary who’d scored the juiciest worm to be found. He didn’t quite like comparing himself to an invertebrate. Why his mind jumped to such things, he’d never know. “Is that any way to greet someone you’re planning to do business with?”
Shit. She had gone to school for interior decorating. How had he forgotten that little detail? “You’re with Gilded Renovations?” The company had come highly recommended, and he’d impulsively called them. That alone was unlike him and a testament to how shook up Wilson’s murder made him.
“That I am,” she said. “Are you going to invite me in?”
He wanted to say no. Victoria Masters was a part of his past he wished he could forget. She was one of the few he’d dated for a longer span of time. It had been more to please his mother than any real inclination to be with Victoria. She was gorgeous, intelligent, and ambitious. All things he normally gravitated toward, and also why he hadn’t found it unappealing to date her—for a short time. After a while, she’d become clingy and too demanding. Not to mention she had a mean streak a mile wide and snobbish airs that made all of her assets rather unpleasant in the aftermath.
“Must I?” he asked drolly.
Having his teeth yanked out sounded more pleasant. The elevator dinged, and a delivery guy stepped out, heading toward his apartment. He stopped in front next to Victoria and glanced at them both. “Dr. West wanted these delivered for...”
“I’ll sign for them,” Sullivan interrupted him. They must be Lana’s prescriptions. He’d talked to Preston earlier and he mentioned he’d send them over. Sullivan scribbled his name on the form and took the bag from him. “Thanks,” he said, giving him a tip.
Victoria sneered at the guy and he rushed away. Sullivan was tempted to go inside his apartment and ignore the witch. She turned her attention back to him. “Now are you going to invite me it?”
“Please join me,” he replied reluctantly. “Might as well get this over with.” He gestured for her to come inside.
Victoria brushed past him and sashayed over to his sofa. He was starting to regret not straightening it up. He didn’t like looking at her sitting in the spot he had planned to do wicked things with Lana in earlier. It seemed rather wrong. Why did she have to be the interior decorator?
“So you want to redo your office?” she said as she pulled out a portfolio. “Is it your office here or at work?”
Sullivan walked over to a table and set the bag of prescriptions down for Lana to find when she returned. She was probably already in pain without them. He hadn’t thought to suggest she take some over-the-counter pain killers he kept on hand. Maybe he should call her... No, he had to handle Victoria first. Then he’d figure out where Lana was and make sure she was all right. He headed back to the living room where he left Victoria. She’d made herself rather comfortable on the sofa.
“Work—my office and conference room,” he replied, answering the question she’d asked earlier. “And before you ask me what color scheme I want or any other mundane questions, I’ll make this simple. Just go to Brady Blue and completely redo those rooms. I want everything gone, replaced, and completely different than it is now. Spare no expense, and you have free rein to make it into whatever you envision.”
Her eyes widened. “You must be kidding me.” She glanced around. “Are there some cameras here? Is someone going to jump out and tell me I’m on a practical joke reality show? No one gives free rein in decorating. Opinions are given freely and much more often than I would like. There are some people out there with absolute abysmal taste.” Victoria’s voice held every inch of the snobbery he’d remembered and it disgusted him. How had he spent so much time with her in the past?
“I jest not,” he said dryly. “Let me know when it’s finished and send me the bill. If that’s all, I can show you to the door.”
She showed no indication of leaving. She stared at him blankly for several heartbeats. He had to find a way to make her leave. He didn’t want her in the one place he deemed his sanctuary. It was a bad idea to have the meeting in the apartment to begin with. He should have insisted on a lunch or dinner meeting. Before he could do anything though, the door swung open and Lana came inside with Jessica right behind her. He silently prayed it wouldn’t be as bad as his imagination was playing out. They could all be reasonable adults—most of the time. Ah, hell, who was he kidding? A nightmare in the making had walked through his door.
Victoria’s lips curled up. “Oh, the help is here. I wouldn’t want to be in their way. It was so nice seeing you again, Sully. I’ll be in touch.”
“Don’t leave on my account,” Lana said scathingly and dropped several bags onto the floor. “I clean up after no one.” She then spun around and left the same way she’d come in. Jessica shrugged her shoulders, appearing a tad confused, and then followed Lana out.
Fuck. He would have to go after her. First, he had to take out the thing that had sent her spiraling in the other direction. He didn’t need his office redone that bad. Losing Lana would be far worse. He turned toward Victoria and ordered, “Get out and don’t bother with the contract. I can find someone more reputable to do the job.”
“But Sully...” Her voice bordered on whiny. “We’re friends.”
“No, we’re not and never will be.” He looped his arm through hers, grabbed her briefcase and led her to the door. Once there he shoved her out and dropped her case by her feet. “Don’t bother gracing me with your presence again.” He shut the door in her face and turned toward the packages Lana had dropped off. After staring at the numerous bags a moment, he picked them up and put them in the bedroom.
Maybe later she’d feel up to showing him what she’d purchased. That was if he could talk her down from her current irate mood. Luckily, he had enough charm for the task, and he rather looked forward to it. With a plan forming in his mind, he went to the bathroom to shower. For what he had devised, he had to be at his best and that didn’t describe his current state. Lana would be his in every way before the night was done.